This is the first Methadone re entry program in the State of New Jersey and one of a handful in the country.

​

This program is the results of five years of effort by Warden Geraldine Cohen and Alan Oberman, CEO of John Brooks Recovery Center. “The timing for the program is just right. We are in the midst of an opioid epidemic that affects approximately 75% of the inmates at the jail. At John Brooks we had a mobile Methadone bus designed for physical examinations and the dispensing of methadone that we were not using plus excess revenue on a State contract.” explained Alan Oberman. 

 

Project Kick Start is the result of the support and collaboration of various entities; The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services approved an expenditure of $335,000 for the pilot program. The Atlantic County administration has provided a Registered nurse who is a county employee to assist with the physical exams and to dispense the Methadone. CFG Health Systems, who provides healthcare at the jail assists in the screening of the inmates. The Correctional staff at the jail have been playing an instrumental role facilitating the movement of the inmates to and from the bus as well as the necessary intakes and counseling sessions. Christine Tartaro PhD. From Stockton University will be conducting the outcomes study for the project. The medical Doctor on the bus as well as the licensed clinician in the jail are employees of John Brooks Recovery Center.

​

There are three categories of inmates who are eligible for the program; opiate dependent pregnant women, any individuals who are already on methadone and the target population which is inmates who have had two previous incarcerations at the jail in the past year and are opiate dependent. The individuals will complete an intake process, physical examination and will be admitted into John Brooks Recovery Center as a regular client or a “guest dose” client if they are already involved with another program. We are able to treat up to 50 individuals at any given time. In addition to the medication all of the client will receive individual and group counseling as well as reentry planning. This program is expected to impact approximately 450 inmates a year.

​

The primary goal of this program is to reduce recidivism by linking inmates to appropriate treatment.